MANAGER: We stuck to our jobs and the fans stuck with us

United manager Keith Curle hailed what was an excellent cup-tie atmosphere on Saturday afternoon as United’s home support went voice-to-voice with the Oldham contingent for terrace bragging rights.

“Our supporters played a massive part in the victory,” he said. “There was an understanding of what we were trying to achieve with our team selection and formation and they really got behind the lads.

“That was important because we know we haven’t been giving them the results they want to see here at Brunton Park. Having said that, we haven’t had the results, but we also haven’t struggled in games.

“We’ve been competitive without getting the victories some of our performances have merited. We have to remember that there’s no given right to win a game just because it’s at home. We have to earn it.

“Sometimes we haven’t done enough to win games in terms of putting teams to bed and scoring goals at the right times. It’s that ruthlessness we need, and I think we had that on Saturday. I don’t think we had too many opportunities to score, but we were clinical when we did get them.”

“The other pleasing thing is that we made it very difficult for Oldham to cut through us,” he continued. “We nullified their threats and after we’d scored the third goal they changed their personnel and went more direct. They have some big, powerful boys up front and they support them with good movement.

“We stuck to our jobs and the fans stuck with us. They left the stadium feeling they’d had value for money and the more times that happens, the more will come back. Every manager in every division wants to win home games because if you keep your home crowd happy it makes life a lot easier.

“I have disgruntled people who stand behind me and they can’t wait to say where I’m going wrong. I’m the same when I go as a supporter to Premier League games. I give the players stick because I can’t believe some of the things they do.

“It’s football, and it’s accepted, because as a manager you’re there to be shouted at when things don’t go well. I completely understand the frustrations when it isn’t going our way because I know that everybody who is there and is connected with Carlisle United wants us to win.”

On the financial windfall from having progressed into tonight’s draw [7.10pm on BBC 2, ball number 26], he said: “There is obviously football fortune which comes from winning the game and that helps the football club.

“We don’t budget for that at the start of the season and the second round will give us an opportunity to go and compete and get more football fortune into the club. We’re a club that looks after its housekeeping, but we also try to make sure there’s money available to continually improve the squad.

“The financial reward is there but it isn’t what is at the front of my mind. The important thing for me was to get a win here at home. I want the fans interested in what we’re trying to build and create, and you need to be winning games to do that.

“We aren’t a club who will go out and spend vast amounts of money on players so that we’re trying to buy success. We get the best players we can and, if required, we get creative to make room for movement in and out.

“I won’t waste the club’s money by paying exorbitant prices, but I will always try to get value for money.”

And speaking again about Jason Kennedy, he told us: “Neil Dalton is quite enthused, and he’s told me that he’s pleased that this latest specialist appears to be getting to the cause of Jason’s problems.

“There’s a consultant’s meeting in London about it this week and we should know more from that as to what happens next with Jason, because I know he’s desperate to get to the bottom of it as well.”

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